>
Find a dish The Library Beverages The Routes The Table The Pantry
The Explorer Cuisines The Protocols Suppliers For Professionals Methodology
Pricing About Enter
Beverage / Sonoma Coast / RAEN
winery

RAEN

Sonoma Coast, United States
Philosophy
Minimalist Burgundian approach employing 100% whole-cluster native fermentation, unfiltered and unfined. Native yeasts capture vineyard microflora; aging in neutral French oak (10–40% new) for 10–18 months preserves the delicate aromatics and mineral transparency of coastal sites.
Reputation
On the raw, fog-swept hills where redwood and Pacific meadow converge, Carlo and Dante Mondavi established RAEN—Research in Agriculture and Enology Naturally—in 2013 as the fourth-generation expression of the Mondavi family's Burgundian vision. Drawing inheritance from their grandfather Robert's pioneering California Pinot and their father Tim's pioneer work of the 1970s, the brothers retreated west from the family's Napa legacy to the uncompromising terroir of coastal Sonoma.
AllocationFounded year 2013 (consistent across sources; Prince of Pinot lists 2014 but this appears to be error—Skurnik, Wine.com, and official site all confirm 2013). Production volume estimated as ~500 cases annually based on specific vintage releases (e.g. Royal St. Robert 125 cases mentioned); at 12 bottles/case yields ~1,500 bottles. Freestone-Occidental vineyard confirmed CCOF-certified organic as of 2022; broader organic certification status across all three sites mentioned in trade sources but not formally verified with certifier. Producer sells direct-to-consumer via mailing list and allocation society; Skurnik identified as US importer/distributor. No UK or Japan importer identified in search results. Abbrevation 'RAEN' confirmed as acronym in some sources but expansion varies slightly (Research in Agriculture and Enology Naturally vs. Rejuvenating Agriculture Environment Naturally)—official RAEN website uses 'Research' version. Vineyard holdings in hectares not disclosed by producer. Cross-producer parallels are conservative and drawn from geography, farming practice, and style similarity. Family succession: fourth-generation Mondavi winemakers; no transition or corporate ownership indicated.
No benchmark products catalogued for this producer yet.